SKILLED Group Limited

[2018] FWCA 5999

[2018] FWCA 5999

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009
s.225 - Application for termination of an enterprise agreement after its nominal expiry date

SKILLED Group Limited
(AG2017/6015)

SKILLED GROUP LTD LABOUR HIRE ETU UNION COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT 2010-2014

Electrical contracting industry
COMMISSIONER CIRKOVIC	MELBOURNE, 4 OCTOBER 2018

Application for termination of the SKILLED Group Ltd Labour Hire ETU Union Collective Agreement 2010-2014.

[1] SKILLED Group Limited (the Applicant) made an application to the Fair Work Commission (Commission) pursuant to s.225 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (the Act) to terminate the SKILLED Group Ltd Labour Hire ETU Union Collective Agreement 2010-2014 (the Agreement).

[2] The Agreement came into operation on 27 September 2011 with a nominal expiry date of 31 October 2014.

[3] The Applicant filed a statutory declaration of Ms Carina Winstanley, declared 7 December 2017 (Statutory Declaration).

[4] I issued directions on 27 July 2018. The Applicant has complied with these directions.

Legislation

[5] Section 225 of the Act provides who may apply to the Commission to terminate an enterprise agreement after it has passes its nominal expiry date. Section 225 is as follows:

“225 Application for termination of an enterprise agreement after its nominal expiry date

If an enterprise agreement has passed its nominal expiry date, any of the following may apply to the FWC for the termination of the agreement:

(a) one or more of the employers covered by the agreement;

(b) an employee covered by the agreement;

(c) an employee organisation covered by the agreement.”

[6] Section 226 of the Act provides when the Commission must terminate an enterprise agreement. Section 226 is as follows:

“226 When the FWC must terminate an enterprise agreement

If an application for the termination of an enterprise agreement is made under section 225, the FWC must terminate the agreement if:

(a) the FWC is satisfied that it is not contrary to the public interest to do so; and

(b) the FWC considers that it is appropriate to terminate the agreement taking into account all the circumstances including:

(i) the views of the employees, each employer, and each employee organisation (if any), covered by the agreement; and

(ii) the circumstances of those employees, employers and organisations including the likely effect that the termination will have on each of them.”

Consideration

Standing

[7] As the Agreement has passed its nominal expiry date and the Applicant is the employer covered by the Agreement, I find that the Applicant has standing to make the application pursuant to s.225(a) of the Act.

Public Interest

[8] In relation to whether the termination of the Agreement is in the public interest, the Applicant declares in its Statutory Declaration that:

•  there are currently no employees covered by the Agreement;

•  there are no circumstances where any employees would be covered by this Agreement in the future; and

•  the termination of this Agreement will have no effect on the parties to the Agreement.

[9] In the circumstances, I am satisfied that it is not contrary to public interest to terminate the Agreement pursuant to s.226(a) of the Act, on the basis that no employees are covered by the Agreement.

Views, Circumstances and Likely Effect of Termination

[10] The Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia (‘the ETU’) is an organisation which is covered by the Agreement. Upon making directions on 27 July 2018, I provided any employee organisation covered by the Agreement to make submissions by 17 August 2018 if they opposed the application. The ETU did not file any submissions opposing the application.

[11] The Applicant is the employer covered by the Agreement. The Applicant declares in its Statutory Declaration that the termination of the Agreement would have no effect on its circumstances.

[12] I consider that it is appropriate to terminate the Agreement taking into account all the circumstances, including those prescribed by s.226(b)(i)-(ii) of the Act.

Conclusion

[13] For the reasons outlined above, I find that the Applicant has standing to make the application for the termination of the Agreement, that I am satisfied that it is not contrary to public interest to terminate the Agreement and I consider that it is appropriate to terminate the Agreement taking into account all the circumstances. Accordingly, the Agreement must be terminated pursuant to s.226 of the Act.

[14] An Order 1 will be issued terminating the Agreement with effect from 4 October 2018.

COMMISSIONER

 1   PR700821.

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